Car construction



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. L. HARVEY. GAR CONSTRUCTION.

Patented July 15, 1890..

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

G. L. HARVEY. GAR CONSTRUCTION.

Patented July 15, 1890.

Nrrnn STATES u VPATENT nuten.

GEORGE L. HARVEY, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR CONSTRUCTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,272, .dated July15, 1890.

Y Application filed February 25, 1890. Serial No. 341,683. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. HARVEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Constructions, ofwhich the following is a specication'.

My invention relates tothat class of rail* Waycars whose side Walls androof are constructed from a plurality of sections, each section composedof a metal plate or plates; and my invention consists in certainimprovements in the methods of joining said plates,

' to certain improvements in means for preventing the opening of thejoints due to eX- pansion and contraction of the metal, and to means forstiffening or bracing `the metal sections.

A radical defect in metal cars as constructed at present is due to theopening of thejoints between the sections, and is caused by thecontraction and expansion of the metals and the racking effect upon thejoints from the oscillations of the car in travel. This racking producesa shearing effect upon the rivets, bolts, or other metal fastenings usedto connect the abutting edges of the plates, and the principal object ofmy invention is to so connect the edges of the metal plates as toprevent any movement of the parts upon each other, and thereby avoid theinjurious consequences above pointed out. this principal object of myinvention I am enabled to materially cheapen the cost of constructionand to provide a strong car capable of sustaining great strains andshocks.

In carrying out my invention I take a metal plate of any convenientlength, but preferably of a length to form a section of thecar-body-that is to say, the side walls and roof thereof-and pass itthrough suitable rolls or manipulate it by dies, so as to providelianges at each of the margins thereof, whereby it may be secured to anadjoining section similarly formed, and then to secure the ilangestogetherI employ, instead of the usual bolts or rivets or assupplemental thereof, welding, which may bev performed in vanyconvenient manner and throughout the abutting or overlapping portions ofthe sections, or at intervals, and supplement this Incidental to weldedjoint in some instances by the employment of rivets or bolts, in theusual manner. v The welding not only secures the closest adhesion of theparts at the point of weld and forms a strong joint, but also preventseffectually any lateral movement of the plates upon each other, evenwhen applied only at intervals along the joint-line, and this obviatesthe shearing effect of such lateral movement upon the bolts or rivetsWhere employed. In order to provide for contraction and expansion of themetals and to obviate the weakening eect thereof on the joints,Ipreferably corrugate the metal pieces of each section. In the simplestform of construction I turn the'margins of the metal plates which are toform the sections whereof the car are constructed at right angles to thebody of the plate so as to provide iianges to which the welding andriveting, when employed, may be applied; but in some forms ofconstruction I prefer to corrugate these flanges longitudinally, so asto impart additional strength thereto, and also to provide for thepassage through the aperture formed by the corruga` tions when two ofthese flanges are mated of a stiiening-rod or tie-bar, and also toprovide for the' reception of a wooden strip, tov which the interiorsheathing or lining of the car may be fastened. In some instances thesecorrngations will be semicircular in form and in others angular incrossseetion; and I may embody in the same structure the semicircularcorrugations and the angular forms of bends, so as to provide by theformer for stiffening the flanges and passage of the tie, and by thelatter for the passage of the wooden strip. These corrugations not onlyserve the above purposes, but they reduce to some extent the area to beWelded without impairing the security of the joint, and these flanges oroffset portions` provide a deep frame, which, in passenger-cars, may befilled with non-conducting material, or when used in freight-cars mayreceive a lining for the purpose of adding strength to the structure andadapt them for the carriage of grain, &c.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of afreight ear constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of two plates having right angular marginal flanges andlongitudinal corrugations to provide for expansion and contraction ofthe metal. Fig. 3 is a similar vieW showing the plates with theirflanges having a longitudinal semieircular corrugation and at themargins of the flange angular bends, the mating flanges being adapted toprovide an aperture for a tie-rod and a second aperture rectangular incrosssection to receive the inside lining or sheathing stud. Fig. 4 is asimilar view in which the sheathing-aperture is omitted. Fig. 5 is aperspective view from the inside of the plate at the joint, and showingthe sheathing-timber in the aperture of the flanges. Fig. G isa similarview showing the joint formed partly by welding and supplemented byrivets.

Referring tothe drawings, A represents the metallic plates, Which may beot' a length sufficien t, when bent to the proper form, to form asection of the side walls and the roof of the car, as shown in Fig. l ofthe drawings. These plates, in order to the better securing of themtogether, have their longest edges bent at right angles to provide theflanges B, which will be of a width corresponding to the desiredthickness of the Wall of the ear. In order to add strength to theseflanges, they will be preferably corrugated or fluted, as shown at C,and when the flanges are mated these longitudinal corrugations Willprovide an aperture through which a tie-rod D may pass. In order tostillfurtherstrengthen the flanges and to provide for the reception of awooden strip to which the interior finish of the ear may be secured,these flanges may be bent at their margins, as shown at Z), to providearectangular aperture for the wooden strips E. The adjoining edges of themetal plates are sufficiently separated to permit the passage of thesecuring nails or screws. In securing the flanges ot' the sectionstogether I weld them in any convenient manner, and preferably throughoutthe entire length ol the impinging surfaces.

The welding alone forms the most secure joint; but Where the characterof the joint or the cost of the welding would make it cheaper to rivetthan to Weld I may perform the welding at intervals only, and supplementit by the use of rivets or bolts. Corrugations to compensate forcontraction and expansion of the metal are shown at F.

I do not of course limit my invention to the structural features ot' theplates or flanges illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The invention is applicable tothe construction of all sorts ofrailway-cars. The preferred metal is steel plate, and the flanges may beconveniently formed by passing the plates through rolls or by swagin g.

I claiml. A c ar having its body constructed from a plurality ofmetal-plate sections having flanges at the margins thereof, said flangessecured together by welding or by Welding and riveting, substantially asdescribed.

2. rlhe improvement in car construction which consists in forming thebody of the c'ar of aplurality of metal-plate sections, each sectionhaving flanged edges, the flanges provided With longitudinalcorrugations and the sections secured together by Welding or by weldingand riveting the flanges, substantially as described.

3. The improvement in car construction which consists in forming thebody ol the carot a plurality of metal-plate sections, each sectionprovided with flanged edges having longitudinal corrugations therein toprovide au aperture for the passage of a tie-rod and a second apertureto receive a lining-stud, and the flanges being secured together bywelding or by welding and riveting, substantially as described.

GEORGE L. HARVEY.

Witnesses:

Fnnnmnoi( C. GoonwlN, (I). C. LINTIUCUM.

